Brush guard and method of making same



Marh 19, 1946.

R. v. HEILMAN BRUSH GUARD AND METHOD 0F MAKING SAMEA Filed Jan. 27. 1942 .A Y INVENToR Z255 l( #9171274.

Patented Mar. 19, 1946 BRUSH GUARD AND METHOD F MAKING SAME Ross V. Heilman, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Wall Wire Products Company, Plymouth, Mich., a. corporation of Michigan Application January 27, 1942, Serial No. 428,419

2 Claims.

This invention relates to brush guards and method of making the same.

A principal` object of the invention is to provide a brush guard adapted to be arranged at the fron-t of a motor vehicle, such as a military truck, for protecting the radiator and head lamps thereof from damage which might be caused by brush or other obstructions through which the vehicle is driven.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved and inexpensive method of making brush guards.

Another object of the invention is to provide a brush guard comprising a substantially rigid open frame and cross bars of materially smaller cross sectional area than that of the frame members which are secured to the frame in spaced relationship with each other and by electric resistance welding.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, of which there is one sheet and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a brush guard embodying the invention and illustrating its application to the front of a military vehicle;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan of the brush guard illustrated in Fig. 1, with parts thereof broken away;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the brush guard;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front view illustrating a step in the process of assembling the brush g'llard and before the cross bars are welded tp the frame; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but of the parts after the cross bars have been welded to the frame.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, there is disclosed an embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration and which comprises a brush guard indicated generally at l0 adapted to be arranged at the front of a motor vehicle for protecting the radiator and headlamps thereof. The brush guard l0 includes a portion l2 which, as illustrated, is of rectangular shape and is adapted to be arranged in front of the radiator indicated at, I4 of the vehicle. The brush guard I0 further includes Wings I6 eX- tending laterally from the radiator portion l2 and which are adapted to be arranged in front of the lamps I8 of the vehicle. The guard I6 comprises a frame formed of horizontally extending frame members 22, 24, 26 and 28 and other size as may vertically extending frame members 3U and 32. The frame members may be formed of hot rolled steel stock one-fourth inch (25) by lone and one-half inches (1.5), or stock of any other desired section. The frame, however, must be substantially rigid and have sufficient strength to resist without material injury impacts caused by contact with brush when the vehicle on which the guard is mounted is driven therethrough.

As illustrated, the horizontal frame 22 and the vertical frame members 30 and 32 may be formed from a single piece of stock which is bent in the form of a U, and the frame members 26 and 28 may be formed of a single piece of stock which is bent back upon itself to form the frame for the Wings I6 and so that the upper ends of the vertical frame members 30 and 32 may be secured to an intermediate part of the'frame member 26 and so that the ends of the piece of stock of which the frame members 26 and 28 are formed may be secured to an intermediate portion of the piece of stock of which the frame members 30, 22 and 32are formed.

The upper ends of the frame members 30 and- 32 may be secured by welding to the under side of the upper frame member 26, while the ends of the stock of which the frame members 26 and 28 are formed may be Welded to the'outside of the frame members 3U and 32 as illustrated.

The frame member 24 may comprise a piece of stock similar to that of which the frame members 22 and 26 are formed and be welded in position between the Vertical frame members 30 and 32 and in line with the frame members 28 for bridging the opening delined by the frame members 22, 26, 30 and 32 which denes the radiator portion l2 of the brush guard.

The frame members 22 and v26 have secured thereto cross bars or rods 34 which may be arranged in spaced relation with each other, for example, approximately 1.7/8 centers, or any other desirable distance. The cross bars or rods 34 may be formed of hot rolled steel stock of inch in diameter or of such have their upper ends ush with the upper surface of the frame member 26 and the lower ends ush with the lower surface of the frame member 22.

The wing sections I6 are dened by portions of the frame members 26, 28 and 32 on one side and frame members 26, 28 and 30 on the other side, and these frame members have secured thereto vertical cross bars or rods 36 and horizontal cross bars 38, the horizontal cross bars underinches between I be desirable, and preferablylying the vertical cross bars. The vertical and horizontal cross bars 36 and 38 are not only secured to the frame, but are secured to each other at their points of crossing. The stock of the cross bars 38 and 38 may be smaller than that of the cross bars 3d, for example, approximately inch in diameter, of hot rolled steel. .In .addition to being-secured "to the frame members 22 and 2S, the vertical crossbars 34 are also secured to the frame member 24.

In making the brush guard the frame members are formed as indicated andthen-.assembledffand Welded together so as to provide a substantially rigid open frame. Thereafter .the cross bars are secured to the frame by electricre'sistance weldf ing process. In this process the lframe member is held in a horizontal position, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, and the cross-rodsarelaidiiiush on the upper face of the frame, the framewresting,

for example, on a lower electrode indicated at'40 -of an` electric `i:esistancexvvelding apparatus, i as :il- -lustratedlinJFi'g.i4. '.'Rc'ferringLtolthisagure,Litfwill -belnoted thatvthelcrossbarsIarellyingfonithe upper 'face-ofthe frameLand imposition to .be engagedby lthe'iu'ppermovableelectrodel42 ofthelelectricire- Vrods 34fsuciently.toLalloW-Itherodsto be driven l =intobthe frame '-anyzdesire'd distance and Welded thereto. In :cari-ying out the process `herein ldisclosed, the 'crossrods are .driven finto Athe frame section approximately ione-third U/g) @the -diameteroflthevcross rods. 'lfhe rodsd'are welded to 'the lframemember-s 22 fan'd 2l -ini the foregolingrmanner and the rods-'andia of the Wings are welded to the vframe membersthereof andto each other'bytheisamge; process," thereby providing y "'astructureinwhichiithe ycro`s s"ba`rs` are allbwelded 1tothe frame-so astoiprovidean' integral-"substantially 'rigid Lunit.

The frame l0 may be provided with suitable holes illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 by means of which the brush guard may be mounted on the motor vehicle.

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purpose oi" illustration only :an'dfis 'not'denitive of the limits ofthe inventive idea, The rightis reserved to make Vsuch changes in the details of construction and arrangements of parts as Will fall within the purview of the at- *tached claims.

I claim:

1. A brushguard adapted to be arranged at the firent of amot'or .vehicle for protecting the radiatorandlheadlamps thereof comprising an open substantially rigid frame formed of suitable `lengths-of1me`tal bar or rod stock, said frame being-,formed of a U-shaped frame member and another irame member having its ends bent back upon .itself but in spaced `relation thereto, said ends being secured Lto vthe.outsidevo'f ythe legsof said U -shaped .framefmember an'd-tne `ends of said V-Ushaped frame member 'fleeing secured to said other-frame member intermediate the ends there- -o and -cross `bars integrally vconnected to Lthe edges of said frame members inspace'd 1Vrelation'- ship,

2. A brush guard adapted to bearranged-at the front-of a motor `vehi'clef'for protectingtheradia- `tor and headlamps lthereof comprising yan open substantially rigid frame formed `oi' suitable lengths of-metal1bar `er -rod stock-said frame being `formedfof a U-sh'ap'ed kframe member andanother frame member ivhaving its Aends -bent back upon Aitself butin spaced relation thereto, said ends'being secured'to the outside of the legs of said `U-shaped frame-'member and the ends of said U-shaped frame `member being-secured vto said other frame-'member intermediate theends thereof and rcross bars integrally connected'- to' the 'edges f said "f rame members -inspaced `relation- `ship, saidlben't back parts dfesaidframef member defining laterally extending wings for arrange- -ment in front of thelheadlampsandihavingcross -'bars secured thereto.

ROSS "=V. 

